It Starts.

Well, hey everyone.

I'm alive! It's so funny because everyone seems to treat the whole mission thing as a form of "death." I know I did. It's hard to picture life on the mission when you're still in the real world. But I have learned that once you're on a mission, it's hard to picture the pre-mission life. It feels like a dream.

The MTC is the greatest place on the face of the planet. The spirit is SO strong and it is always present. It has been so neat to be a part of the atmosphere here for the last couple of days. There is nothing like the MTC. And there is nothing like life at the MTC.

It is hard. So hard. The first day we got here, our instructor did not speak one word of English. Needless to say, it's been a guessing game since day one. But it's been so awesome to see just how quickly our minds can progress with the help of the spirit. Within two hours of being here, we had the entire Korean alphabet memorized. I can now read in Korean, pretty cool, eh? I may have no idea what I'm saying, but I can read it, and that's a start. 

Dakota (one of the good friends I worked with before entering the MTC) and Daniel (otherwise known as "Meeks"-- he was in my homeward) are both in my district! It's been so nice having a couple of familiar faces sitting with me in a tiny little classroom for the past few days. (I totally made it sound worse than it is-- it's not bad at all. Time actually flies.)

I have two companions, both of whom, I love. We're in a cute little threesome companionship and we love it. I can't even imagine having just one companion. I don't know what I'm going to do when that actually happens... thankfully I'll have both of my lovely comps with me the whole time I'm here. (Which is until February 3rd...)

The first day I was here I got a shoutout from President Nally over the pulpit in front of a room of about 300+ missionaries. I guess that's what happens when you have a mother named Gina Bagley who knows EVERYONE. He asked, "Is there a Sister CaLea Bagley present?" And when I raised my hand, he asked me to stand before he said, "We offer you a sincere and warm welcome. We promised your mother we'd take care of you." Needless to say, it hasn't been hard to make new friends...

I see so many familiar faces in the halls here at the good ol' MTC. My companions (or dong-bahn-ja [that's how you pronounce "companions" in Korean]) joke that I know everyone. Which is funny because I obviously don't know everyone... but it does feel like it. I know more people than I thought I would know here. It's like a big, fun reunion. 

Anyways, I love it here. I've never been more tired or more challenged, and I have definitely never felt more incapable of doing anything-- but I have also never been happier. There's something about this place that makes it so wonderful. I think it's the constant presence of the spirit. And I suppose it's also the knowledge that we have a Heavenly Father who wants to help us and who is willing to help us. We have to learn to not rely upon our own strength, but upon HIS strength. 

I don't have much time and I haven't exactly figured out how to send pictures through the MTC computers (I swear, these aren't computers, they're calculators) but I do want you all to know that I love you and that I'm so grateful for your love and support. 

Hey, write me. Dear Elder me.
Anything-- I need something to do next p-day.

All my love,

Sister CaLea Bagley

p.s. expect a letter, family. I put one in the big blue mailbox today!